To report this zoo

[belimoo]

I went to an animal experience today (in the U.K.). It was a birthday present which I thought I'd love and was very much looking forward to.

However, on arrival it immediately felt sad and I felt bad for every animal I saw. The enclosures seemed small and cold and the animals were listless, This was the case throughout the medium sized park.

As part of the experience I saw three types of animals and fed them. Two of these seemed quite happy and engaged but the rest of the animals were buried in wet straw and I couldn't see anything in their lives which might give them any joy or freedom.

I know I was naive and stupid to go there in the first place. The keepers were knowledgeable and genuinely seemed to care about the animals but I don't know how they could ignore the bleak desperation of it all. There was a giant tortoise who kept bashing his shell against the walls in an attempt to get out.

What can/should do I do in this situation? Am I overreacting? Should I try to talk to the RSPCA? I feel I have to do something and can't just leave them there but don't know what is possible or realistic.

It sounds like you didn’t tell staff what was going on with the tortoise, maybe you should have so they could help if it was in distress, or reassure you about what it was doing.

Was it Blackpool Zoo?
Went once, saw the poor, poor elephant and walked back out again. A truly upsetting experience.

@SheWoreYellow you're right, I didn't and should have in hindsight.

@NiceTwin no, it wasn't but that sounds horrible.

There are quite a few dire zoos in the UK because the people who inspect them are from the local council and don’t always have a clue what they are looking for.

Generally if they’re not members of BIAZA or EAZA they’re one to avoid.

Monkey World will take reports of any monkeys or apes in bad conditions, even in zoos or wildlife parks. They’re limited what they can do often because of their own limited space and the fact that standards don’t have to be super high to be legally acceptable.

Is it possible the tortoise was in small inside enclosure for a reason?
Most zoos have the set up of outside large, inside and quarantine small for obvious practical reasons.
Grasping at straws, bit inside spaces are never glam. They should though have access to outside

I can't comment on the place the OP went.
Just wondering about the people who have no support for zoos at all under any circumstances.
If a wild population is at the risk of becoming extinct, would you rather that happen than captive breeding programmes and future reintroduction to the wild?
If a species only exists in the wild in one location or on one island with an active volcano, would you rather risk that population dying off in a natural event, or have a 'saviour population' in zoos?

www.durrell.org/conservation/

There were a few smaller tortoises in there with it so I don't think it was quarantine. There was no access to outside and it didn't seem like a temporary arrangement given the signage and layout. I guess it could be for hibernation though?

Oh no 😭

The rats probably bite the poor animals when they're trying to sleep 😒😓

Poor things.

I'm not trying to be mysterious by not naming it. I just don't want to slate a place when I'm conscious that I'm not an expert on these things and may be reacting emotionally without knowing all the facts.

Yes, but I was thinking if you said where it was, people might be able to give more specific information, like there may be a reason the tortoise is kept like that or there may be another reason it seemed unhappy, like a medical reason or its always grumpy when it's rainy type of thing.

And you know this for a fact about rats do you? Plentiful food source around them and yet they "probably" chew on the poor zoo animals while they're asleep 🙄 the animals have much worse human-shaped problems, believe me!

@Brightstarowl I wouldn't worry about rats attacking the animals, it's highly unlikely. With plentiful food available they'd have no reason to try and eat something that'll potentially fight back (I've seen chickens having a go at rats BTW and the rats just scarpered)

The rats aren't going to start taking sly chunks out of the animals.
They are there to help themselves to the high quality food that is available.

I agree.

There are many species that only still exist because of conservation projects in zoos.

They are excellent and make a real difference for animal welfare. I’d strongly suggest a donation!